Telematic communication units (TCU's), such as cellular phones, personal data assistants (PDA's), Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, and on-board Vehicle Communication Units (VCU's), used in conjunction with a Wide Area Network (WAN), such as a cellular telephone network or a satellite communication system, have made it possible for a person to send and receive voice communications, data transmissions, and facsimile (FAX) messages from virtually anywhere on earth. Such communication is initiated at the TCU when it is turned on, or by entering a phone number to be called, or in many cases, by pressing a preprogrammed button on the TCU or speaking a voice command causing the TCU to automatically complete the process of dialing the number to be called. A radio communication link is established between the TCU and a Wide Area Network (WAN), using a node of the WAN in the vicinity of the TCU.
In cellular telephone systems, a node is commonly referred to as a “cellular base station.” Once the radio communication link between the TCU and the cellular base station has been established, the base station then utilizes a combination of additional cellular stations, conventional telephone wire line networks, and possibly even satellite systems to connect the TCU to the number to be called.
Wireless communication services such as navigation and roadside assistance for TCU users have increased rapidly in recent years. More specialized services have been offered for VCU users, and may aid motor vehicle operations and include services that provide location and destination information. Such services are provided at a cost to the VCU users, and also at a cost to the VCU service provider. Certain classes of VCU services require the periodic and intermittent access, collection, buffering, and transmission of vehicle specific or location data. These data intensive services potentially can have significant transmission (uploading) costs associated with them, again at a cost to the VCU service provider and ultimately the VCU users.
Thus, there is a significant need for a method and system for optimizing wireless communication services, vehicle information data uploading, and vehicle geographic information collection that overcome the above disadvantages and shortcomings, as well as other disadvantages.